Global Public Articles

Finding a way to create extra income from home can be confusing and overwhelming. There are dozens of work-at-home web sites with thousands of different money making ideas. Sorting through them all, you may soon decide that many work-at-home schemes are just that — a scheme. Most of the truly legitimate home based business ideas will fall into one of three categories: Direct Sales, Network Marketing/MLM and Service businesses.

Are you a good organizer? Charge clients for closet organization services. Are you a musician? You could teach private lessons on a part-time basis from your home. Other ideas would be baby sitting services, dog sitting, bookkeeping, housekeeping and landscaping. Word of mouth advertising will keep satisfied clients coming your way. The cost to start up may be less than fifty dollars.

If you choose to enter into a direct sales opportunity, be aware that many of these companies are those that encourage home parties for presenting the products to groups of interested people. Examples of direct sales parties that you may have have heard about or participated in would be costume jewelry, sterling silver jewelry, kitchen gadgets, travel discounts and pet supplies. Start-up costs for most direct sales companies will be less than $300. A small segment of direct sales, sometimes referred to as ‘top tier’, will have higher price points of entry. (Examples would be Liberty League, Wealthmasters and Global Resorts.)

Network Marketing and multi-level marketing opportunities enroll independent distributors, sometimes called consultants, to sell products on which they earn a commission. Additionally, they receive commissions based on the sales efforts of people enrolled in their organization (down line). If you are successful in creating a large downline, the monthly residual income can grow into a full-time income. Additional compensation plan details vary with each company. As with direct sales, you need to have some comfort level with personal selling and networking. The internet provides a great way to locate other like-minded business builders. Contrary to what your upline might be teaching, ‘warm market’ is not the only way to grow your business rapidly. I personally recommend two different online systems to my new reps who express any interest in ‘internet network marketing’.

Although network marketing has suffered in the past from image problems, the business model itself is legitimate and legal in most countries. Network marketing business opportunities are plentiful and varied: wellness & nutritional supplements, make-up and skin care, travel, electricity providers, telephone services - I have even seen a healthy chocolate MLM company! (No joke) Start-up costs tend to be less than $100, but in some top-tier opportunities, it will be several thousand dollars. For the majority,there is no need to purchase and maintain an inventory; however most compensation plans will require a monthly personal purchase amount, in order to remain eligible for commissions.